Above, the Evangelist introduced John as baptizing; now he introduces Christ as coming to the baptism of John. Concerning this, he does two things. First, he sets forth the events that preceded the baptism; second, those that followed the baptism, at the words: But Jesus, having been baptized. With regard to the first, four things are presented: first, the wondrous humility of Christ; second, the astonishment at that humility; third, Christ’s response to the astonishment; fourth, John’s consent to that response. The second begins at But John tried to prevent him; the third at But Jesus answered; the fourth at Then he allowed him.
With regard to the first, four elements are set forth: the time, the persons, the places, and the purpose. The time is indicated when it says then, namely, when John had his own light. For just as the sun rises while Lucifer is still visible, so Christ comes while John is preaching and baptizing (Luke 3:21). Job 38:32 says: Do you bring forth Lucifer in its time, and make the evening star rise over the ends of the earth? Or “then” refers to when Christ was in his thirtieth year (Luke 3:23), to show that no one ought to take upon himself the office of preaching or leadership before reaching full maturity. Or it refers to that time when, according to the course of others, he could have committed many sins. Hence he did not wish to be baptized immediately, but for a long time observed the Law, as one made subject to the Law, so that the Jews would have no cause for scandal, since he did not come to abolish the Law (below, Matthew 5:17). Otherwise someone might have thought that Christ brought the Law to an end because he was unable to fulfill it; therefore he wished to observe it for a long time, and thus he was not baptized so quickly.
The persons are indicated when it says: Jesus came to John—the Lord to the servant, the Creator to the creature. Below, Matthew 11:29: Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart. The place is Galilee. Mystically, this suits those who are baptized, because Galilee signifies “passing over” or “transmigration”: for the baptized must pass over from vices to virtues. First Peter 2:1 says: Put away all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. Also, he came to the Jordan. Jordan is interpreted as “descent,” and it signifies humility, which must be present in the one being baptized in order to receive grace. James 4:6 says: God gives grace to the humble.
The purpose is stated: to be baptized. God willed to be baptized by John for four reasons. First, to confirm the baptism of John, since some spoke against it (below, Matthew 21:24). Second, that by his touch he might consecrate all water; hence baptism is said to come from the fountains of the Savior. Isaiah 12:3 says: You shall draw water with joy from the fountains of the Savior. Third, to show in himself the true condition of humanity, for just as he came in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3), so he wished to be cleansed as though a sinner. Fourth, to impose upon others the necessity of baptism: for he first wished to observe what he imposed on others. Acts 1:1 says: Jesus began to do and to teach, in contrast to those mentioned below in Matthew 23:4: They bind heavy and burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to lift them with a finger.
Next, the astonishment is set forth. Note three things here. First, John refuses the honor offered to him; second, he confesses his own humility; third, his own unworthiness. The second is at But John tried to prevent him. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 7:4 says: Do not seek leadership from a man, nor a seat of honor from a king. The third is at I need to be baptized by you. For he knew that Christ would baptize inwardly; therefore he says to be baptized, that is, to be cleansed from original sin, as the Gloss explains. But this seems contrary, since John had been sanctified in the womb. It must be said that before the coming of Christ, some were cleansed in a certain way with respect to personal defilement, through circumcision and the like; but with respect to guilt and the infection of the whole nature, no one was cleansed before the Passion of Christ. And do you come to me? Psalm 139:6 says: Your knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, and I cannot attain it.
Next, Christ’s response is given. Note that John had done one thing—he tried to prevent him—and had said two things: I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? Yet Christ did not respond to the first—I need to be baptized by you—but responded to the act of preventing him; therefore he says for now. He says now because, according to Chrysostom, John was later baptized by Christ, not only with the baptism of the Spirit, but also with water. Or for now because John was later baptized with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Or for now, let me be baptized with water, because I have another baptism with which I must be baptized, namely the baptism of the Passion. Luke 12:50 says: I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how I am constrained until it is accomplished! And John too was baptized by Christ in this way, insofar as he died for justice, which is the same as dying for Christ. Or for now, while I bear the form of a servant, I fulfill the office of humility; for when I appear in glory, then I will baptize you with the baptism of glory.
Then Christ responds to the astonishment, saying: For thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. This is explained in three ways. First: it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness through baptism. Christ was going to fulfill all righteousness, both of the Law and of nature, but he wished to fulfill it through this means, since without baptism it is not fulfilled. John 3:3 says: Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Remigius explains it thus: It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness, that is, it is fitting that I give the example of this sacrament, in which the fullness of all righteousness is given, because the fullness of grace and of the other virtues is given. Psalm 65:9 says: The river of God is full of water, namely of graces.
Or thus: it is fitting, that is, it is fitting for me to possess perfect humility. The first degree is not to prefer oneself to an equal and to subject oneself to a superior, which is a matter of necessity. The second is when one subjects oneself to an equal. But humility is perfect when a superior subjects himself to an inferior; and this is to fulfill all righteousness, that is, to fulfill perfect humility. Since there was such a dispute between them, Christ prevailed. Hence then he allowed him, that is, he permitted himself to be baptized by him. The Gloss says: true humility is that which obedience does not abandon; for to resist stubbornly is pride. First Samuel 15:23 says: Rebellion is like the sin of idolatry. Thus Jeremiah and Moses are praised, who ultimately consented.
Next, when it says But Jesus, having been baptized, immediately came up from the water, four consequences of the baptism are set forth. It should be known that just as Christ in his baptism gave an example of baptism to others, so in the consequences of his baptism he gave us to understand what we ourselves obtain. There are four consequences: the ascent of Christ, the opening of heaven, the appearance of the Holy Spirit, and the testimony of the Father.
The first is at Jesus, having been baptized, immediately came up from the water. Literally, this is said because the river had deep channels. But this signifies that those who are baptized ascend through good works. And he says immediately, because those who are baptized in Christ immediately put on Christ. Galatians 3:27 says: For all of you who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Likewise, they obtain the heavenly inheritance. First Peter 1:3 says: He has regenerated us unto a living hope through the resurrection, unto an incorruptible inheritance. And this is what is meant by the heavens were opened. This is not to be understood bodily, but by an imaginary vision. And the heavens were opened to him, signifying that heaven, which had been closed to the human race because of sin, was opened. Genesis 3:24 says: He placed the Cherubim and a flaming sword turning every way to guard the way to the tree of life. It is said that Seraphim were placed, but it was opened through Christ.
But one may ask why the heavens were opened to him, since they were always open to him. It must be said, according to Chrysostom, that the Evangelist speaks according to the common manner of speech, because by the merit of his baptism they were opened to us—just as a king, granting a favor requested by a friend for someone else, says: “I grant this to you.” And it should be known that there are three kinds of people who immediately ascend to heaven after death: the baptized, as here; martyrs, hence Acts 7:56: Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of the power of God; and those who have completed penance, as in Acts 10:19, where it is said that heaven was opened to Peter while he was praying.
Next is set forth the appearance of the Holy Spirit: and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. This belongs to those who are baptized, who receive the Holy Spirit within themselves. John 3:6 says: That which is born of the Spirit is spirit, that is, spiritual. And he saw, not by an imaginary vision—for otherwise he alone would have seen it—the Spirit of God, that is, the dove.
It must be known that nothing corporeal is said of God according to his substance, but either through an imaginary vision (Isaiah 6:1: I saw the Lord seated on a high and exalted throne), or through signification (1 Corinthians 10:4: the rock was Christ), or through assumption into the unity of person (John 1:14: the Word was made flesh). But the Holy Spirit is said to be a dove in none of these ways. Not by imaginary vision, because it was seen by all. Not by signification, because it did not previously exist. Not by assumption into the unity of person. Therefore there is a fourth mode: when a new form is created to represent divine effects, as in Exodus 3:2, where the Lord appeared in fire and the bush, and in the giving of the Law, in lightning and thunder (Exodus 19:16). Thus the dove was formed to represent the influence of the Holy Spirit.
He appeared in the form of a dove for four reasons. First, because of charity, for the dove is a loving animal. Chrysostom says: the servant of the devil also has certain gifts in appearance which the servant of God has in truth; but the charity of the Holy Spirit alone the unclean spirit cannot imitate. Song of Songs 5:2 says: Open to me, my sister, my friend, my dove, my immaculate one. Second, because of innocence and simplicity. Below, Matthew 10:16: Be wise as serpents and simple as doves. Third, because it has a groaning instead of a song; and a man sanctified by the Holy Spirit ought to groan for sins. Nahum 2:7 says: Her maidservants groaned like doves. Fourth, because of fruitfulness. Hence the offering of doves was prescribed in the Law; and this suits the baptized, because, as John 3:6 says, that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Descending like a dove. Every communication of divine gifts from God into any creature is by way of descent, because the creature can receive only by descent into it. James 1:17 says: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights. And coming upon him. Note that a visible mission is always a sign of an invisible mission. It signifies either grace newly received or an increase of grace, as with the apostles, when the Holy Spirit appeared in tongues, signifying an increase of grace. Such a mission can also signify grace then given or previously given. In Christ, however, it did not signify a new effect, since from the first instant of his conception he was full of grace and truth; but the grace that was already upon him was inasmuch as he was man, not inasmuch as he was God.
Next, when it says and behold, a voice from heaven saying, the testimony of the Father is set forth: This is my Son. Note that baptism not only makes us spiritual, but also sons of God. John 1:12 says: He gave them power to become sons of God. And it should be known that this voice expresses what the dove signified. Beloved, not as other creatures are beloved (Wisdom 2:13), but as a natural Son. John 5:20 says: The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself does. This also signifies Psalm 2:7: The Lord said to me: You are my Son; today I have begotten you. But because the saints are also loved by him, he adds Son, by which, in one sense, the Son is distinguished from others. In whom I am well pleased. Wherever the goodness of someone shines forth, there something pleases him in himself—just as an artisan takes delight in his beautiful work, or as a man delights in seeing his own beautiful image in a mirror. Divine goodness exists in every creature in a particular way; but it is never wholly perfect except in the Son and the Holy Spirit. Therefore God is wholly pleased only in the Son, who has as much goodness as the Father; and this is in whom, that is, I am pleased in myself in him. John 3:35 says: The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.
But note that a certain apparent discrepancy exists between this Evangelist and the others. Mark 1:11 and Luke 3:22 say: You are my beloved Son; Matthew says: This is my beloved Son, and in whom. But the meaning is the same. What is said, You are, seemed to be spoken directly to Christ; but it was spoken for the sake of others, since Christ was certain of the Father’s love. Therefore Matthew expressed the intention of the speaker and said This is, as though spoken to others; thus Augustine says. Again, one may ask why Matthew and Mark say in whom, while Luke says in you. Augustine says that the Father is pleased in the Son both in himself and in men. Therefore in whom signifies that he is pleased in himself with respect to men. Or it may be understood in both senses: in whom I am well pleased, that is, it was my good pleasure to accomplish the salvation of men; and this is in you, that is, through you.
Finally, note that in this baptism not only the end and the fruit are represented, but also the form of baptism, which is in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. For the Son was present in the flesh, the Father in the voice, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. And note that this distinction does not imply a division of operation among the Persons of the Trinity, since just as the essence is common, so is the operation; rather, this is said by way of appropriation. For the whole Trinity created both the dove and the flesh, but these are referred to distinct Persons.
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